A Knight's Betrayal
by Voltage - Maya Storm
Summary: Princess had the perfect fairy tale life with her knight, Lute. Now, five years later, reality is hitting her hard as she takes on her added responsibilities to the Rapier Kingdom. Plunged into a war from neighboring kingdoms the once proud and strong Rapier Kingdom is losing its valor, as well as their princess. The curtain is closing on the story of Princess. Lute X OC
1. To Remember

Chapter 1: To Remember

* * *

I don't know how long I have been like this. It could be weeks. I've lost track of time. I tried keeping track of the time on the wall across from me but that proved to be ineffective; without the sun or any way of knowing how much time has passed, there is no way that I could keep track of time. My only source of light is from a single candle that's been lit again and again. It casts a gloomy shadow on my silhouette as well as the bars. Once in a while the candle flickers causing the shadows to move and dance.

The only thing I see around me is blood… there's so much blood everywhere. I've never seen so much blood. It's been accumulating together gradually for the past couple of days. Every day someone new dies adding on to the already impressive pool of blood; their blood mixes together with one another. Strangers who have never known each other are now intertwined in a way they would have never imagined.

How much more has to be spilt before this is all over?

My lips are so dried but I don't dare lick my lips. I have yet adjusted to the taste of blood. The strange metallic taste is something that I will never be able to become accustomed to. The first day I was in here, I drank a mouthful of blood. The thought of drinking someone else's blood alone was nauseating. My body instinctively tried to throw up immediately after the first taste. Fortunately, my stomach has been completely empty so all that really came up again was the blood.

The smell doesn't bother me anymore. I initially tried to breathe solely through the mouth to avoid smelling the blood but after many hours I gave up.

I noticed that the initial color of blood is a rich red, almost like the color of The Rapier Kingdom. The way it shines and flows between my fingers is almost majestic. Blood is a bit thicker than water and has an unfamiliar consistency to it. Then, as time goes by, the blood becomes dark and thick and doesn't flow as beautifully between the fingers. Finally, the blood starts to harden and cakes onto whatever surface it is on.

My hands have been so sore and raw. I have been pounding on the stone walls pleading. Being in solitude for long has made me insane. I am having strange and unholy thoughts. The line between reality and my imagination has become difficult to distinguish.

Where are my knights?

I need you guys….

Shion, I miss you with your face always buried in a book.

I can feel my eyes starting to water as I start to think about my friends.

Kenny… my childhood friend…please help me…

_*drip*_

Haku…I miss your devilish smile.

_*drop*_

Knight Commander Gaia…please come save me.

_*drip drop*_

Lute…Lute…

The tears won't stop. I want my old life back…

* * *

"Come play with us Princess!" the children shouted at me. Word has spread like wildfire throughout the Rapier Kingdom that their long lost princess was kind and gentle to her people.

"She's always willing to help the villagers"

"Have you tried her cooking that one time? It was amazing!"

"I heard she saved an entire lychee village"

"She's not like the other princesses; we're so fortunate to have a princess who cares so much about her people."

Praise after praise, everything I did for the Rapier Kingdom was met with nothing but admiration from the villagers. I loved them, and they loved me back. The children enjoyed visiting the castle grounds to be able to play with the princess and I enjoyed their company; it was must better than listening to a boring lecture by my butler Richard who also took on the responsibility of being my tutor.

"Alright guys, you better start hiding! 10…9…8…" I cover my eyes with both my hands as I counted down to one. The children let out excited screams as they scattered all around the garden. Their laughters and light footsteps sounded further and further away.

Then, I could hear footsteps running towards me. It was definitely not one of the children, it was much too heavy. There was only one person in the castle who would come running to me at a time like this.

"P-Princess! This is not how a proper princess should act!" Richard lectured me. He would always harangue me about all my imperfections. I uncovered my eyes to look into Richard's dark, unamused eyes. I slightly pouted at his words. No matter what I tried, it would never please Richard.

"She can't help it Richard, she was raised as a country bumpkin after all" Another familiar voice said away from my peripheral vision. I turned to see some of the other knights approaching me. Unlike Richard, they didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with the idea of me playing with the other children.

"Ken, that is no way to talk to the Princess! Apologize" Lute lectured Kenny. My heart did a quick skip at the sound of Lute's voice. Our eyes locked and we both shared a loving smile.

When I first met Lute, I knew he was the ideal knight. But I wasn't the only one who noticed Lute. Many of the girls in the kingdom have heard of the perfect knight; some of the die-hard fans even had a fan-group dedicated to him.

He was able to make me feel special in a way I never felt before. Immediately after coming to the kingdom, I willingly gave my heart out to him. He struggled for a bit knowing that a love between a princess and a knight could never happen. But eventually, he too saw that our love for one another could not be stopped. Our love was a secret that was kept from my father and the rest of the kingdom. Only the knights knew of our secret love affair. He was always so gentle and caring, putting my needs and the kingdoms before his own.

"Princess, I think you have a game to finish" I was snapped back to the present to Haku's voice. I had almost forgotten about the children. I could see some of them peaking their heads out wondering if I would come searching for them

"7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Here I come!" I quickly counted down the rest of the numbers and started to look for the children. I could hear a couple of stifled giggles and murmurs behind some of the bushes. Ken, Haku and Lute watched me in amusement while Richard watched me disapprovingly with his arms crossed over his chest. Though Richard's body language suggested that he was not amused, I could tell he was trying really hard to keep a scowl on his face. The corner of his mouth showed a small smirk and his eyes betrayed him with a loving glint.

My life was perfect. Nothing could go wrong. Those around me adored me; everything I did for the Rapier Kingdom was met with nothing but admiration. I loved them, and they loved me back.

* * *

That night in my room, I let out a deep sigh. The warm bath that was drawn by some of the maids was amazing and just what I needed. I loved all the children of this village and some of them were not afraid to get their clothes dirty during our game of hide-and-seek. Inadvertently, my clothes got dirty after giving them hugs and embracing them. Richard had enough at this point and immediately advised that I go take a bath.

I said my farewells to the village children and went inside.

I heard a faint knock on my door. Who could it be so late at night?

"Yes?"

"Princess, it's me." That voice was all too familiar to me. My heart lurched and I clambered out of bed to open the door for my knight. Lute was wearing his evening clothes and a smile that made any girl's heart melt. I heard from Kenny that there was even a girl who fainted from the sight of him smiling.

"Please, come in Lute."

Lute looked to his left and right to ensure that no one was watching while he entered. Our love was a secret, even to my father. We were careful to make sure to act dignified in the presence of others. But when we were alone like this, we were able to be more open with each other. Lute, the perfect gentleman that he is, has never touched me and I was thankful.

"How are your studies coming along Princess?" Lute makes polite conversation with me.

"I believe I am making some progress but Richard is not happy at the rate of the progress that I am making." I frown when I think of Richard and the look he gives when he is unable to get through to me. It's not that I don't want to learn and help the Kingdom of Rapier, but I've been raised a country girl who never had to know any of this. I wish my grandma, who was really my wet nurse, Lady Tome, would have taught me some of the basics.

"You are a unique individual Princess, take all the time you need. The rest of the kingdom and the villagers are here to support you and all of your efforts. Please, do not lose hope" He always knew what to say. I felt better with his optimism.

"You're right Lute. I will continue to try my best for the Kingdom.

Lute smiles and extends his arm, offering his hand to me. I take his hand and I can feel the warmth of his hand spread throughout my body, especially my face. His face quickly reddens too as he pulls me out into the balcony. The moon is beautiful tonight. We both just stare out into the garden for a minute enjoying the silence of each other's company. The Rapier Kingdom had a beautiful garden with flowers in which my father dedicated to me.

"The plant is growing beautifully," I say to him breaking the silence. I am referring to the plant he and I planted after the incident with the lychee village.

Lute smiles warmly at me and looks up at the moon. "Do you remember your first night here Princess?" Lute asks me without breaking eye-contact with the moon, "The moon was shining just like this."

I look up at the moon as well. I remember the first night I was here… Lute and the rest of the knights have just brought me from Kanai village. Richard was already telling me that I would have numerous classes that I would need to get started on right away. He wanted to change who I was completely to fill the role a princess should. The first thing he took away was my physical identity; he changed the way I dressed. He made me wear an ornate dress that I never would have imagined being able to wear my entire life. I was overwhelmed with the schedule that Richard gave me and decided to take a stroll in the garden to clear my head.

At the same time, Lute happened to be in the garden as well. Lute looked at me and blushed complimenting me on my new wardrobe. "A big change from the old raggy clothes I used to wear, isn't it?" I joked with him back then. He looked at my surprised. "No….You were glowing, even then Princess. Your true beauty hasn't changed," he says to me with a heart-melting smile. How did he always know what to say to me?

I come back from my daydream of the first time Lute and I met in the garden.

"Yes, that was the first time we danced together," I answer him looking into his face. Lute looks back at me and smiles lovingly happy to hear that I still remember the first time we met.

"Princess, may I have this dance?" he asks me in a silky voice as he extends his hand to me. It's déjà vu for me. Those were the same words he muttered to me all those nights ago. I stare at him with shock but immediately replace it with a smile of my own and take his hand. He quickly pulls me towards him, places one hand around my waist, clasps my hand with the other and we begin to dance under the moonlight. We don't need an audience or music to sway our bodies.

"You're such an amazing dancer now Princess" Lute doesn't break eye contact with me as he leads in the dance.

"I've had a great teacher," I admit back to him. It's true. Lute was the first to teach me to dance and I never forgot the way our bodies worked in synch together. Our bodies were pressed up against each other, our faces close. His large hands… his strong arms… his broad chest… I love everything about him.

Our dance comes to a close with him slowly twirling my body. As soon as I twirl back into him, Lute grabs my chin and pulls my face towards his. His beautiful eyes looked into mine for only a second before he brings his lips closer to mine and kisses me. I'm shocked by his boldness but willingly accept his advances. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around his neck. My body is pressed up so close to his body, I could feel his heart beating. Could he feel how fast my heart was beating? We stayed there on the balcony under the moonlight neither of us wanting to break the kiss.

My perfect life.

I had a room that could house an entire family; clothes made out of the finest materials across the land; a father who loved me enough to dedicate a whole garden after my favorite flowers; and most importantly, a man who loved me more than life itself.

Everything was perfect. That was the last happy memory that I could remember before everything went wrong.


	2. To Attack

Chapter 2 – To Attack

* * *

Tears start to trickle down my face as I remember the time Lute and I danced on my balcony. I let out a heavy sigh as silent tears continuously run down my face. The huge drops of tears won't stop; I can feel the salty tears mix with the caked blood that's on my face. I don't need a mirror to know that my face is a mess of blood, mud, and human waste.

The cell is quiet, as usual. Nothing can be seen or heard. The candle outside of cell is starting to die out. They'll have to replace it again. Who knows how long they'll this time. Could be days like last time.

I stare up at the ceiling absentmindedly letting the silent tears fall from my face. I cast my eyes down and my body jolts in surprise; I am no longer alone in my cell. In front of me I see a pair of feet that are all too familiar to me. I look up to see _him_. Unlike me, his clothes are clean and kempt, his hair tidy, and his face flawless. He smiles down at me. I awkwardly stand up in my cell with the tears continuously falling from my face. Why is he here?

'Princess, may I have this dance?' he says to me as he extends his arm.

I could hear his gentle voice throughout the cell.

"…I can't… Not like this…" I whisper back to him.

His gentle smile doesn't leave him as he says, 'I'll teach you. Come now…' I can feel him gently lead me. "Don't worry…I'll lead. Just leave everything to me…" I hesitate. Reluctantly, I extend my hand out to take his hand into mine.

His body approaches mine stealthily. I can feel one hand around my waist and his other hand still clasping mine.

'I'll start slowly…don't be nervous, Princess.'

He slowly starts to sway and move his body. I follow him and dance around the cell. The tears continue to fall down my face as my body sways and moves in synch. Our bodies are close but I make sure to avoid his beautiful brown eyes. We dance silently around the small cell. He leads me around gracefully while I numbly follow his lead still unable to fathom that he is here with me.

'Look up into your partner's face,' the voice whispers to me gently. His words bring more tears to my face…I can't…I can't look into his face…

'Princess…you're so good at this…'

…

'Princess…'

…

…I know…

…I know he's not real. He's not really here with me. I'm alone. This is just a memory of the first time that Lute and I danced in the garden. I feel myself going insane being in solitude all this time. My biggest fear is knowing that if I stay in here long enough, the line distinguishing what is real and what is not will become blurred. I release myself from his grasp and clutch my head. I would rather take another drink of blood than imagine the one man I can't have right now… Why does my memory have to a play trick on me? Why does it have to be _**him**_? Why can't it be someone else?

…Lute…

'Princess…you're so wonderful…'

Stop it…stop it…get out of here Lute…You're not real! I close my eyes and reopen them hoping that he magically disappeared.

He stands there with his arm extended towards me. 'Princess, may I have this dance?'

I try closing my eyes again, even tighter, and reopening them.

He is now standing even closer with his arm still fully extended towards me. 'Princess, may I have this dance?'

I cover my ears and close my eyes shut. The tears continue to fall from my face. I grit my teeth hard trying my best to stifle my screams. It's no use. I could cover my eyes and block out the noise but I can still see him. I can still hear him. I can still feel him!

*drip drop drip drop*

I scream. I don't care who hears me right now. I can't this anymore. I'm going insane.

* * *

"Fohohoho, the knights never cease to amuse me!" my father laughs as he watches my friends argue at the dinner table. My father and I are in the great dining hall with the Knights of Rapier. The large chandelier hanging overhead shines brightly illuminating the room.

A large feast has been prepared for us by the maids and servants of the castle. Only the finest silverware is used for the meal, and the finest silk is used as the tablecloth. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of this great feast seem to care very little about all this.

Shion and Kenny are arguing over who gets to have the last meatball. Haku finds their fight amusing and is encouraging Shion and Kenny that they are both right. Lute is appalled at everyone's behavior and is trying to lecture them but his voice does nothing but add on to the already loud fight.

Knight Commander Gaia ignores all the quarreling and eats his food ferociously. He focuses on the food in front of him and blocks out everyone else. One would think that Knight Commander Gaia has been starved for days. The first day I met him, I noticed how much larger his physique was compared to the others and how much more he ate compared to the average man.

"You already had 5 meatballs Shion, you don't need anymore"

"Funny you should talk, Kenny, I saw you taking at least 8."

"Come on now Shion, Kenny, I'm sure the other is willing to give up this last meatball as a sign of friendship," Haku says choosing his words carefully. He has always been very sneaky and deceiving; he knew very well that neither were willing to give in to the other and that they would use his argument to pit against the other.

"You hear that Shion? It's a sign of friendship giving up your meatball to me."

"What do I have to prove? You're the only always borrowing money from me to buy more sweet rolls!"

Haku tries his best to stifle his laughter as he watches his diabolical plan unravel before him. Lute is not amused and narrows his eyes at Haku. Lute turns his attention to Kenny and Shion and begins to scold them both, "We are not alone! We are in the presence of the King as well as Princess. Surely I shouldn't' have to tell you to be on your best behavior!"

"Fohohohoho!" My father's booming laughter causes everyone to quiet down. Shion and Kenny immediately stop fighting and face the king in a dignified manner. "Now, Lute, there's no need to feel like you must act differently in front me! Today is a happy day, please feel free to relax. It's not every day that the Princess of Rapier turns 19," my father says.

Everyone smiles at my father's words. It's been over a year since my return to the kingdom. My father has loved me more and more every day. "If it wasn't for you brave knights, I never would have known what my beautiful daughter would be like today."

I could feel myself blush. "Father…please…"

My father looks into my eyes lovingly, "I'm sorry my dear," he says, "This old man is starting to feel his age. Pretty soon, you will rule Rapier, not as a princess, but as a queen with a king at your side." My father then took a sip of wine from his goblet as if what he said was perfectly normal. I remember those words as clear as day. This was the first time my father has ever mentioned the possibility of a spouse in my life. The knights looked nervously from me, to Lute, and back to me again. None of them knew what to say to my father's words.

Lute kept a calm composure. His eyes looked into my father with revere, but his smile was forced.

The conversation about my future did not last long. The great feast was interrupted by my father's personal butler. He walked gracefully over to father, bowed deeply, and approached my father. "Forgive my intrusion Your Highness," even his voice was graceful. I let out an exasperated sigh; even the butlers here were more graceful than I was. Can't I do anything right?

The butler got up really close to my father and whispered something into his ear. My father's face was stern as the butler whispered into his ear. The knights and I instinctively all leaned closer trying to hear what the butler was telling my father; none of us could pick out what they were saying. We were using my father's facial expression as a basis on what they were talking about. Then his eyes grew large and fearful. My father stood up suddenly from his chair.

The rest of the knights started to rise as well. "Sir?" Commander Gaia waited for my father's orders.

"Please, stay here and enjoy the rest of the feast. I will be back shortly. Just some business I need to take care of. Daughter, enjoy your time with the knights. Don't start dessert without me! Fohohohoho," my father said with a smile before turning and walking out the double doors. He wasn't fooling me with that smile and laugh. I could tell something was very wrong.

That was the day everything changed for us; there were no more birthday celebrations for me; the knights were no longer able to quip and enjoy each other's company; Lute was no longer able to look at me as just the Princess… I would one day grow to become the Queen of Rapier.

* * *

I found out weeks later why Father was so nervous that day.

War was declared.

The kingdom to the north of Rapier, Falchion, and the kingdom to the east, Toledo were at war with one another. Both kingdoms have asked Rapier to join their side. Father has had a very close and personal relationship with both countries. In fact, many of the Counts and Princesses that were at my party were from both neighboring countries. Princess Pansy was from Toledo. Her country was famous for marine products; no doubt they had a navy advantage. Princess Clarissa was from Falchion. Richard had me study Falchion's history and customs, Falchion had so many different etiquettes from Rapier, and it was hard to keep up.

Because father was so close to both countries, he made the ultimate decision to stay neutral in the fight.

War raged on with the two countries for over a year and we were still unaffected. My twentieth birthday came and went uneventfully. Counts and princesses from Toledo and Falchion did not attend my birthday celebration; the party was much closer and intimate that year with only the counts and nobles from Rapier attending my party.

Father tried his best to keep a happy and cheerful disposition when he was around me. But, as the year went by, I could see that the idea of war with neighboring countries tormented my father. His eyes lost their shine since my nineteenth birthday and his smiles were no longer genuine. I tried to pretend I wasn't affected by the war or his change by acting as I always did. Maybe that was the wrong decision…maybe I should have extended out a hand and done something more for him…

My father's decision to stay neutral with Falchion and Toledo seemed like it was the most diplomatic decision. Unfortunately, no one could have foreseen what would happen next.

* * *

Richard was tutoring me in etiquette. We were going over the proper way to stand up and leave the dinner table. "Again Princess," he said in an exasperated voice, "You don't use your hands to help you stand, your hands must be by your dress ready to lift it up as you sta-" Richard never finished his sentence. There were loud shouts outside my door.

"For Heaven's sake, can't the maids do their jobs quietly?" Richard strolled over to the door to scold the maids. I watched him approach the door, feeling sorry to whatever maid had to face Richard's fury. He opened the door and gasped. I knew something was wrong. Everything Richard did, from the way he breathed to the way he coughed was dignified; his gasp of surprise was not dignified. Something was very wrong.

I stood up to stand by Richard to see what was going on outside. I could see knights in azure attacking the maids and servants outside the halls. 'Azure?' I thought to myself, 'Rapier is scarlet…these are not our knights…these knights are from Toledo!' I couldn't fathom the idea that we were being attacked. Toledo and Rapier were allies!

Maids were scattered across the floor lying motionless, others were screaming what I could imagine to be either pain or panic. The maid closest to us noticed us me and Richard from the doorway and tried crawling towards us inelegantly, one of her legs was missing. She looked at us with pleading eyes; her hand outreached trying to reach us.

She was so young, she looked at us with tear filled eyes pleading to me and Richard. I stared in astonishment. Every time she moved, a fresh trail of blood smeared onto the rug. Her mouth kept opening and closing as if she wanted to say something but no words came out of her mouth. I watched her as the tears flowed into her open mouth. I recognized her; she was one of the maids that often drew my bath. She was always so well kempt and proper. Seeing her like this now was unimaginable.

I remember asking myself, 'Is this all a nightmare? If so, when will I wake up?'

"Princess!" Richard's panicked scream snapped me out of my shock. "We must find your knight! Hurry! You are not safe alone." Richard took my hand and pulled me the opposite way that the azure knights were approaching us. I looked back to see the maid still attempting to crawl towards us. Her eyes never left me as she watched us run the other way. Even though Richard was pulling me forward, my head was turned to look at the maid. I couldn't abandon her, but Richard's pull was strong. As Richard and I started to round the corner, I saw an azure knight approach the maid and raise the blade above his head ready to strike down.

I didn't see what happened after that. I couldn't watch such a gruesome scene. I quickly turned my head back to avoid watching the inevitable.

We ran as fast we could. I could tell Richard was not used to running; he was already breathing heavily and losing his pace. I, on the other hand, was having trouble keeping up with the dress that I was wearing and the shoes that I was wearing. We ran trying to head to the stairs. Richard suddenly stopped running causing me to bump into him. I looked over his shoulder to see what happened. Azure… more azure knights were ahead of us.

Richard gaped for a moment; we were surrounded. I could see the panic in his eyes growing as he realized there was no way out. I could feel Richard trembling. He was no knight, he was no hero. His whole life was dedicated to being proper butler. The idea of being attacked inside the castle walls has probably never crossed his mind.

I knew I had to do something; I quickly scanned the area. There was no way we could go back, and there was no way we could go forward. I noticed a door to our immediate right. I quickly grasped the doorknob and pulled Richard inside, and slammed the door behind us.

"Whoa! Princess, what are you doing here?"

I looked behind me. Behind me on the bed was Haku, lying on top of a maid I identified as Amaya. Haku looked at me with a surprised look on his face. Amaya on the other hand, looked at me in terror as if she had done something wrong. It took me a minute to realize that I had walked in on something very private and personal with the two. The two quickly stood up and straightened themselves out.

I knew a lot about Amaya. Not only was she a maid to the kingdom, but she was someone that Haku cherished as much as his sister. When I first met the knights, Haku showed great interest in me. He tried his best to win my affection over Lute. Once he realized that he could not compete with Lute, Haku respectfully backed away and rooted for our relationship. It was then that he met Amaya. Amaya always found his perverted comments and devilish smile to be charming. Unlike Lute and myself, Haku's relationship with Amaya did not have to be kept a secret. The whole castle knew of their relationship. Many girls were disappointed when they saw that Haku was no longer available.

Amaya casted her eyes away from me and blushed a deep red. Any other time I would have blushed as madly as Amaya for walking in on an intimate situation. However, today was not the day. I looked at Haku pleadingly, "The castle is under attack by Toledo." The smirk that was on Haku's face immediately dropped. He scanned my eyes trying to see if I was telling a lie. The panic and dishevelment on both Richard and my face must have shown Haku that this was not a joke. If Haku had any doubt left, the screams and terror that filled the hall was suddenly apparent to all of us. The marches of knights seemed to get louder and louder.

Haku cursed under his breath. He strode quickly to the other side of the room slung his arrows over his shoulder, redid the belt that held his sword, and held his bow on his left hand. "Stay close," it wasn't a request, it was a command. Haku was light hearted and playful during times of peace. But I knew if he was ever needed, Haku would rise to the occasion. The only concern now was that Haku had to guard three of us against an entire army of azure knights who were more than likely looking for me.


	3. To Avenge

Chapter 3 – To Avenge

* * *

The noises outside were getting louder and louder. We didn't dare make a sound; a single noise from us could cost us our location and our lives. Our eyes were focused on Haku now. He was the only one that could save us. None of my other knights were here to save or protect us. No one from the kingdom knew where we were; we were on our own...our lives depended on Haku.

Haku was looking around the room with a scowl on his face. He realized how bleak this situation looked: one knight, one maid, one butler, and a princess, one was armed, the others weren't. His eyes moved quickly; he was surveying us and the room. He stayed silent for a minute longer and then swiftly moved to the corner of the room. We watched as Haku silently lifted the chair that was in the room, walked over to the door and propped it up on an angle. He moved and worked silently to ensure that we would not be caught.

His eyes rested on us. "Take the sheets off that bed, quickly," Haku commanded us in a hushed tone. I remember thinking how odd it was that my knight was giving _me_ the orders. Our roles were reversed in this dire time. The three of us didn't have to be told twice; we walked silently over to the bed and took the sheets off the bed. Haku took out a dagger and starting ripping the sheets into strips. What was he doing?

"Tie the ends together in a knot, make sure the knots are firm," he told us as he continuously made more strips with his dagger. Amaya was working diligently obviously used to tasks like this. I was not as fast as Amaya but was still able to help out. I used to do menial tasks in Kanai Village when I lived with my wet nurse, Lady Tome, but now that I've come to the castle, my fingers were not well adjusted to these tasks.

Richard was not helpful. I remembering glancing over at him to see why he kept stammering under his breathe. I watched as his trembling gloved fingers kept dropping or missing the loop to make a knot. His eyes showed a mixture of fear and annoyance. I couldn't imagine how Richard must have felt. I was somewhat used to battles and fighting with all the adventures I've been on with the knights. But Richard has never left the castle walls and was brought up so formally. The image of the dying maid by my room keeps flashing in my mind…I wonder if Richard is thinking about that as well.

We finished tying all the ends of the bed sheets together. I realized that Haku was trying to make a makeshift rope for us. This was the most logical choice; with no other way of getting of leaving the castle, creating an alternate method was the most logical choice with the least amount of fatality. Amaya strode over to the window and opened it silently. Shouts from outside could be heard. The yelling outside showed me that it was evident that there were fights everywhere.

*jiggle jiggle*

We all spun around towards the door and watched the chair that was propped against the door; the chair was shifting slightly. I felt my stomach drop. "This door's jammed! Someone's inside!" I heard an unfamiliar voice call out to others. I heard heavy footsteps running to where we were. There were now more of them outside.

Haku cursed, took the end of sheet, wrapped it around his arrow, and picked up his bow. Amaya rushed over to his side and picked up the other end of the sheet. She silently tied one end of the sheet to the bedpost. The two worked silently as a team, anticipating the others next move and planning three steps ahead. They were perfect for each other.

Haku aimed his bow to one of the trees outside. He released the arrow and I watched as the long bed sheet went flying with the arrow. The arrow stuck into a nearby tree with an earsplitting crack. There was no way that arrow was getting out of that tree. Luckily, the tree outside was close and there was more than enough bed sheet to make the journey across.

*bang bang*

People were ramming their bodies up against the door now. Each bang caused a stifled yell from Richard. During the time Amaya and Haku busied themselves to create an escape route, Richard, without anyone realizing, walked over to a corner and was bent over with both hands in his hair in a fetal position. Silent tears running, nose dripping, Richard was not himself. I've never seen Richard so weak and frail; this showed me that not everyone was perfect… we were all human.

"Richard," Haku called out to him. Richard feebly looked up and made eye contact with Haku. "You need to go first; there's no way we can have the Princess go first in case there are enemies nearby. We need to have someone down below who will be able to scout the area before we lower Princess," it wasn't a request, it was a command. What Haku said made sense, but I couldn't afford to have my friends risk their lives for me. I voiced my opinion but was met with a sharp retort from Haku. "You are the future of Rapier Kingdom, Princess. Now is not the time to worry about us." I refused. I continued to refuse.

"There are voices inside, push harder!"

*bang…Bang… BANG*

The door was starting to chip from the pressure on the other side. There was no way that chair was going to hold for much longer.

Richard whimpered again. His body shrank back into a fetal position and he held his head.

None of us judged him or berated him for his coward behavior. We all understood. In dire times there will be those who rise to the occasion, and those who fall; Richard was one of the unlucky few.

"I'll go first," Amaya said. She walked over to the window, glanced back at me and Richard and then looked at Haku determinately. They looked at each other silently for just a second longer. Knowing Haku, he would not have let his beloved Amaya go down first to risk her life. But he knew that Richard could not be counted on, and sending me down first was out of the question in the event of an ambush. Without me, there would be no future of Rapier. Haku and Amaya both had a duty to protect the future of Rapier Kingdom. What did I do to deserve such loyalty?

Haku leaned in and kissed her forehead before he nodded. Amaya walked to the ledge of the window, bent down, and jumped out the window with both arms around the bed sheet. Haku and I silently watched her as she slid down the makeshift rope and gracefully landed on the grass.

Amaya looked to her left and then her right before giving the thumbs up to us.

*BANG*

The door flew open. Haku cursed and drew back his bow and arrow. He fired quickly as a group of half a dozen azure knights came running into the room. Haku hit two but the rest were advancing on us quickly. Richard clumsily ran to hide behind Haku and myself.

"Princess, go!" Haku said as he lowered his bow and took out his sword. The enemy was now too close for him to use a long ranged weapon. They advanced on him all at once. We were outnumbered. Haku tried desperately to hold them off but there were too many. We kept getting backed into the window more and more.

I looked at Richard; he was still frozen with shock. We didn't have time for this. I grabbed Richard's hand as forcefully as I could and I led his hand to the rope. Once I knew he was grabbing it with at least one hand, I pushed with all my might. Richard screamed. I watched him as he screamed all the way down. He made it.

I heard a scream as one of the azure knights fell to his knee. I knew Haku was skilled with both the bow and the sword; I had no idea he would be able to stand up against half a dozen knights though. I watched in amazement as Haku moved swiftly with his sword; he was wielding his sword as an extension of his body. The azure knights attempted to make fatal blows on him but Haku was able to parry their attacks and riposte with his own moves.

The azure knights tried to attack me as well but Haku ensured that none of their blades would touch me. I wanted to help. I wished I could help him. "Haku…" I looked at him indecisively. It took all the strength and concentration Haku had to ward off the enemy. I saw the intense glare he was giving his enemy; his eyebrows were furrowed, his teeth gritted, and his eyes burned in an animalistic nature. Through his gritted teeth Haku yelled one word to me, "Go!" I wasn't helping him by being here; I was just another body that he would have to protect.

Taking one last look behind me, I jumped out the window both hands on the rope and slid down. The friction of the rope on my bare hands hurt. Richard and Amaya were both wearing white gloves so it didn't affect them as much but I could feel my skin becoming raw as I made my descent. Amaya and Richard's profile were getting closer and closer as I continued to slide.

I felt a slight twang on the rope. The next series of events happened within a flash. The first thing I heard was Haku yelling my name from the room. I turned my head in time to see an azure knight cutting away at our makeshift rope. The next thing I felt was a jolt as the rope was cut. I remember descending from the sky very ungraciously. The last thing I saw was Richard and Amaya's faces widen in fear as they ran towards me. The last thing I heard was a loud crack. Suddenly my world turned very white.

I screamed in pain. I had never broken a bone before. I was not far down enough from the rope to make a gracious landing before it was cut. I must have dropped at least a good ten feet from the ground. I could hear Amaya and Richard yelling my name. I couldn't see them though; I saw nothing but white flashes in front of me. I clutched my ankle in pain.

The searing pain from my ankle made me oblivious to my surroundings; my vision and sound of the world was completely blurred.

Amaya and Richard were hovering. They were trying to tell me something but their voices were very distant and distorted. What were they trying to tell me?

White flashes of pain.

Azure knights were seen surrounding Amaya while Richard cowered in the distance.

More white flashes of pain.

Richard was nowhere in sight. Amaya's voice could be heard screaming for Haku to help her, but all I could see was azure.

* * *

A couple of years ago, the lychee village in Rapier Kingdom was under attack. Bandits attacked the village to stop the progression of the levee. Lute, Shion and I were there to help the lychee village. An unmatched battle took place between the bandits and the knights. The bandits, who were no match to Shion and Lute, cowardly took an old man hostage forcing Shion and Lute to surrender. The bandits would have killed my knights if I didn't act.

"Stop this!" I yelled as I pushed my way through the bandits and stand in front of my knights, "I won't allow you to lay another finger on my knights!"

"If you want to protect them so much we'll let them go," one of the bandits said to me, "but you won't be getting off so easily; you'll be our hostage instead of the old man."

To protect my knights and the villagers, I became their willing prisoner and was taken back to their hideout. There, the bandits, and their boss, drank and celebrated on their victory. They tied me up but kept me alive. They didn't lay a finger on me.

They mocked my knights in how cowardly they were and how weak they fell to their knees. Three years ago, I would have thought they were the most brutal people in this land. But now I realize how stupid and incompetent they were; they took prisoners and they were willing to negotiate…

These bandits are nothing compared to these azure knights. The image of the slaughtered maids in front of my room keeps flashing before my eyes. The knights took no prisoners…no witnesses…no pity.

* * *

I had no idea how much time had passed since I hit the ground. I tried to get up but immediately regretted moving my ankle. I knew I wouldn't be able to move from where I was. I looked around wondering where everyone was. A few feet away from me I saw blurry figures. I willed my eyes to concentrate and make out the figures.

It was Amaya.

Amaya was in front of me. She was badly beaten; her eyes and lips were swollen and blood was running down from the corner of her mouth. Two knights stood by her. One knight stood behind her holding her back with both her arms behind her back. The other knight held a dagger to her heart. The one in front of her was screaming something at her. Amaya didn't respond back to him; I could tell she was trying her best to glare at him but one of her eyes was so swollen I couldn't even tell if it was open.

She spat on his face. I couldn't see the knight's face but I knew this was not the response he was hoping for. Everything that happened afterwards happened quickly. But I can remember every scene as a play-by-play.

The knight in front of Amaya raised the dagger high into the air; the shiny blade glinted in the sunlight for a second before it was plunged quickly it into Amaya's chest. Amaya's body instinctively jolted at the sudden pain; I have a feeling she would have winced a lot more if it wasn't for the second knight holding her against her will. Within the minute of horror I witnessed, I watched Amaya's eyes constantly changing.

First, Amaya gave the knights a look of pure hatred and disgust. She was not backing down and she was not afraid of them. Next, Amaya's eyes, even the one badly bruised, widened in shock when the blade entered her body; her head rolled back and her mouth opened slightly to let out a silent scream. Then, Amaya's eyes turned from shock to pain. Her mouth closed and she clenched her teeth tight as if she was trying to hold back the pain. Her usually perfectly white and tidy maid uniform was now dirtied with dirt and debris and a red stain was gradually expanding where the dagger plunged into her chest. Finally, her eyes started to lose life and I could see them becoming dull as her life slowly left her body. She stood there as a human shell still being held up by the knight.

The front of her shirt was now covered more in red than white. The knight that has been holding her back this whole time released her and her body slumped awkwardly onto the ground. I stared horrorstruck at the knights. Everything that has happened today flashed before my eyes: training with Richard, the body of corpses lying in front of my room, the dying maid crying for help, Haku helping us escape, Richard's cowardly behavior… Amaya's death. These horror scenes were like something out of a novel. But this wasn't like the novels I read. In the novels, the sky turned a deep shade of red whenever there was murder or death to symbolize the blood spilt that day.

But here at Rapier, the sky wasn't turning as red and the blood spilt from the bodies. The sky was a peaceful blue. Out in the distance, I could see a lone bird flying peacefully as if nothing was wrong. I've seen this same sky for many years since my time here at Rapier. Each day here at the castle was pretty peaceful and routine; the knights would carry out their missions and I constantly studied and practiced to rule the country one day. On the days the knights were not out on a mission, they would be training and practicing with one another under the vast blue sky…this blue sky now.

* * *

The azure knights now looked in my direction. I remember thinking how horrific their faces were to me. I compared their faces to the serene faces of my friends. They started advancing towards me with a clear intent to kill me.

I had no idea why these azure knights were here at my kingdom attacking my people, but I didn't care. I wouldn't forgive them. I couldn't move from where I was but I had no intention of running away. I stood my ground.

I hated them. I hated what they did to my beautiful kingdom and what they did to those I cherished.

The knights were less than 3 feet away from me when I heard a wild scream coming closer and closer. The three of us all spun our heads to see who was approaching us.

Haku…

He was badly beaten and his clothes were torn. He came running towards us with his bow in his hand. As he was running, he pulled out an arrow from the quiver on his back, knocked the arrow onto the bow's string, and pulled back the string. The knights in front of me stiffened, there was no way they could defend themselves from a flying arrow. The knights braced themselves for the worst and I readied myself to be saved by my knight.

Haku released the arrow, and missed.

I was shocked. Haku has never once missed since I had met him. No one in all the kingdoms could compare to Haku's archery skills. Something was very wrong if Haku missed. Haku was clearly agitated. He threw his bow to the side, drew his sword, and continued to charge at the knights.

Haku never once looked at me. The azure knights drew their swords and charged at Haku. Haku went to deliver a deadly blow to the first knight; the azure knight foresaw the attack and prepared to block the blow. However, Haku's blow was so powerful, not only did the azure knight's blade break on contact, but it was able to drive the sword deep within the enemy's body instantly killing him.

The second azure knight faltered; no knight ever dug so deep within their enemy. Knights usually made fatal blows to one another but never to the point where it was over kill. Haku took the azure knight's moment of vulnerability and attacked. Haku abandoned his sword in the corpse's body. With no sword, or bow, Haku lunged his body at the azure knight and both went tumbling onto the floor. There was a power struggle of who would be on top, the two continued to roll around each trying to best the other. I could hear Haku's loud grunts, they were animalistic. The scowl that was on Haku's face never left but there was something else behind it that I was not able to put my finger at the time.

The two stopped tumbling with Haku on top. Haku was able to straddle the man and pin both his arms under each of his knees. The man was vulnerable and defenseless. Haku started to repeatedly assault his face. Blow after blow the azure knight's grunts could be heard and I winced after every blow. I couldn't see the man's face because Haku's body was covering it, but instead, I could see the man's fingers wince and writhe futilely under Haku's weight. A moment ago I would have felt no pity for the man… but I wasn't so sure anymore…

Haku could have stopped there but he continued. Haku pulled out an arrow from his quiver and grasped it firm in his hand. The arrowhead made contact with the enemy's skull; the sound was loud and piercing, similar to the time when Haku's arrow dug into the tree. Haku swiftly drew the arrow out of the man's skull; blood came sputtering out of the man's skull. Haku went in again making another loud cracking noise as the arrow pierced through his skull. The man's fingers were no longer writhing in pain. The body laid there motionless but Haku showed no sign of stopping.

Again and again the arrow pierced into the man. This was not a dignified knight of Rapier anymore, this was a rabid creature. The look I saw on Haku's face earlier reminded me of something that I couldn't remember at the time. But then I realized where I've seen the look before. Back in Kanai Village, the wild dogs that tried to attack me had the same expression that Haku now wore. They didn't care about the outcomes of the fight and they didn't care that they were outmatched; they only cared about attacking and inflicting as much damage as they could.

"You…_crunch…_killed…_crunch…_her!" Through gritted teeth Haku screamed like a madman. He didn't stop stabbing the already dead man. I wasn't sure if Haku was aware if the man was dead.

I called his name softly unsure of what to do…

Haku froze at the sound of his voice and snapped his head around. I gasped. I didn't know who that was, but that man was not Haku. He was unrecognizable; his eyes ablaze, his face contorted and ugly. His face was covered in blood, dirt, and chunks of red flesh that I did not want to think about. He had a crazed look in his eyes that confirmed my worst fears; he was like the wild beasts I had met at the edge of Kanai Village. Haku looked at me for a second longer and went back to stabbing the man's head. The squelching noise the arrow made was making me queasy.

I was so focused on Haku that I never heard the footsteps approaching me quickly. Two strong pair of arms came down to grasp my arms and drag me back forcefully. I yelped in pain as my ankle was twisted in a weird angle. I looked up to see azure knights dragging my body. My meek attempts to get my arms back were meaningless. There was no way I could overpower two azure knights as they dragged my body to who knew where.

I called out to Haku, desperation evident in my voice. Haku's body was getting further and further away from me as the knights dragged me away quickly. Haku didn't bother to turn around. I watched the arrow plunge again and again into the body as he repeatedly cried, "You killed her!"

Haku was no longer a knight protecting the future of Rapier, he was an animal.


End file.
